TAMA 300 is a gravitational wave detector located at the Mitaka campus of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. It is a project of the gravitational wave studies group at the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR) of the University of Tokyo. The ICRR was established in 1976 for cosmic ray studies, and is currently developing the Large Scale Cryogenic Gravitational Wave Telescope (LCGT).
The TAMA project started in 1995. It adopts a Fabry Perot Michelson Interferometer (FPMI) with power recycling. It is officially known as the 300m Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Antenna.
The goal of the project is to develop advanced techniques needed for a future kilometer sized interferometer and to detect gravitational waves that may occur by chance within our local group of galaxies.